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Post by Narcissa Black on Jan 27, 2009 23:55:42 GMT -5
Narcissa didn't have very many friends.
It was a trend that she'd started to notice from an early age, although it had never really troubled her. All throughout her childhood Narcissa had followed behind the steps of her two older sisters, demanding and recieving and giving and taking. They were their own friends, their own enemies, and their own comforters. There had never been a need for outside interference, and so Narcissa had never desired to connect with her peers...not until she started Hogwarts, that is, when her policies changed drastically.
Sighing, Narcissa sat stiffly in the boney brown barstool that she occupied and wondered about the time. She had never liked leaving home or Hogwarts, but somehow she still found herself inside of this nondescript pub. Severus had agreed to meet her, although she was beginning to wonder why they had planned this in the first place, and Narcissa waited with growing impatience. Why wasn't he here yet?
Severus Snape had always been something of an enigma to Narcissa. She'd first noticed him during her second week of school six years ago when she'd observed him nervously skulking in the shadow of Lily Evans, and ever since then, she'd tried to avoid him. Why any Slytherin would deign to follow after a Gryffindor low-life was beyond her, but Severus had been undaunted by the stigmas surrounding inter-house relationships. For ages he continued his unseemly pursuit of the tempermental redhead, and Narcissa hadn't seen fit to associate with him until one stormy day in her fifth year.
Snape had been the only person in the common room when she'd entered regally to curl up in her favorite armchair. Undaunted by his presence (he was a halfblood, after all), Narcissa strode past him and settled before the fire, watching the flames for a few moments. Then Severus began to speak, and the five long years of silence between them broke forever. They became something like friends, something like normal...something, as it happened, that Narcissa had never intended them to be. The situation had gotten out of her control, but for once in her life, Narcissa didn't mind at all.
"Finally!"
Blond hair whispering against slender shoulders, Narcissa looked about to find the sallow face of Severus Snape looming over her.
"What took you so long?"
Automatically assuming an air of irritation, Narcissa fixed her blue eyes on Snape accusingly.
"For Salazar's sake, have a seat Severus."
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Post by Severus Snape on Jan 28, 2009 0:10:13 GMT -5
Severus was late for his meeting with Narcissa. He hadn't meant to be, but the bus that he was supposed to catch to get to the street where the Leaky Cauldron sat had been nearly thirty minutes late. Though he had left early enough to get to the pub early, he was now nearly ten minutes later because of the stupid bus. He had been so tempted to pull out his wand and curse the Muggle driver, but had managed to calm himself as the Leaky Cauldron came into view.
He ran to the back wall, slipping into Diagon Alley. He ran quickly through the streets and into Knockturn Alley, walking swiftly into the pub that Narcissa had told him about. He sighed when he saw her, knowing that she would be irritated. Her comments when he grew closer to her confirmed his suspicions. He sat down beside her and turned to look at her. Their relationship was weird and, if Lucius ever found out, could possibly mean death for Severus, but it was interesting and fun and kept his mind off things. Though what this meeting was about, he wasn't sure.
"Sorry, Narcissa. Had to use Muggle transportation and it was slow. Now do you mind telling me why we're here. Your message was very cryptic and didn't give me any details as to the intent of the meeting." He wasn't really one to meet people out of the blue with little more than a note, but no one said no to Narcissa, why should he?
He ordered a drink and paid for Narcissa's. He couldn't pay for all their drinks tonight, but he could at least pay for the first round. Until he found out what exactly Narcissa wanted at least. There was a chance that this was nothing but one of her occasions where she just wanted to be seen in public with someone less attractive than her to make her seem like a beautiful saint. It had happened, though never with him that he knew of.
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Post by Narcissa Black on Jan 28, 2009 21:16:53 GMT -5
"Muggle transportation? I hope you washed your hands afterwards..."
Lifting her nose up snootily, Narcissa pretended not to hear the other end of Severus's question. Her smoke screen was weak, but she wasn't ready or prepared to explain why she had asked him here. Instead, she preoccupied herself with watching him relentlessly, powder blue eyes as cold and impenetrable as permafrost.
"How was your vacation? Relaxing, I presume?"
Trying to take the sarcastic edge out of her voice, Narcissa struggled to conquer her own judgemental nature long enough to have a casual conversation. It wasn't working.
"Of course, if my sources are correct, you spent your holiday in the home of your...muggle...mother. I'm sure that you're relieved to return to the wizarding world after that experience."
A waiter dressed in a grimy work smock strode over and plopped two drinks onto their table, and after wrinkling her nose at his uncouth appearance, she grabbed her mug and took a deliberately long draught of butterbeer.
"The second round had better be something stronger," Narcissa announced as she set her drink onto the table with a clunk. "Don't worry, I'll buy," she added as an afterthought. Returning her sharp gaze to Severus, Narcissa watched his gloomy expression shift and change imperceptibly. Always skilled at detecting discomfort in others, she wondered briefly if Severus had always been so quiet and brooding.
"Have you heard about the muggle killings? Father told mother and I at the dinner table last week. The ministry is trying to hush it all up, but it will get out sooner or later. After all, Avada Kedavra isn't exactly easy to ignore. But I say, good riddance. That's three less for us to worry about, right?"
Raising her flask, Narcissa downed the rest of her butterbeer and emerged slowly, cheeks flushed from the alcohol.
"Two firewhiskeys," she dictated to a passing waiter, and then she turned sparkling blue eyes back to Severus, icy personality ablaze with fire.
"I know you have sympathy for them, Severus, but surely you can see that this is the beginning of a new era? Besides, you're not really like those powerless ignorants. The fact that you're a Slytherin proves that much, at least."
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Post by Severus Snape on Jan 29, 2009 1:51:37 GMT -5
Snape sighed. Narcissa seemed to always change the subject to something she wanted to talk about as opposed to something that he wanted to talk about. He wanted to know why he was here, but he would play along. First he had to change a little something she had said. "I did spend the holiday with my mother, though she is a witch. You're thinking about my bastard of a father. He is a Muggle. And, as to the Muggle murders, I just wish that one of the Muggles that had died would have been my father."
He had sympathy for Muggles no longer. He liked Lily Evans, even though she was Muggle born, but she was a witch now. Her sister, though she had received a letter from Hogwarts as well, turned her back on everything wizard and deserved death and the miserable life that she was destined for. A Muggle life full of worry knowing that there were people quite powerful out there ready to take her out at first notice.
He shook his head and took the firewhiskey that she had ordered, drinking it quickly. He turned back to her, dark eyes staring into her soul. "Now, Narcissa, what's going on? Please don't change the subject this time. I left my mother with that Muggle bastard to meet you and would love to know why." He wasn't going to let up on this. He wanted to know why today? Why now? Why would Narcissa Black want to meet with him?
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Post by Narcissa Black on Jan 30, 2009 1:13:14 GMT -5
"I did spend the holiday with my mother, though she is a witch. You're thinking about my bastard of a father. He is a Muggle."
Father, mother...same thing. Narcissa exhaled through her nose to relieve her own irritation, but it didn't help. She realized that she was torn between boredom and extreme discomfort, so she was grateful when two mugs of firewhiskey floated over to their table.
"... as to the Muggle murders, I just wish that one of the Muggles that had died would have been my father."
Narcissa nodded in expected approval, but her heart wasn't in it. As refreshing as it was to hear Snape taking a negative stance against muggles, she realized that there was only one muggle that she wanted to talk about. And it wasn't Severus' deadbeat father.
"Now, Narcissa, what's going on?"
Narcissa let him run his mouth as her own thoughts arranged themselves into organized chaos, and then she plucked an answer out of the disarry.
"It's about Evans, Severus."
Setting her firewhiskey aside, (she had no intention now of getting drunk in any capacity, however small), Narcissa focused on Severus' distinctive eyes.
"You need to stop following her around if you want us to be friends. I'll admit, Severus, that I'm partial towards you. I believe that you have potential. So does Lucius..."
She trailed off for a moment, lingering on the strange thought of her sometimes distant fiancee...but then she continued, and her blue gaze bore into Snape like a drill.
"It's time to start taking sides, Severus. And to be perfectly honest, I'd rather have you on ours."
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Post by Severus Snape on Jan 30, 2009 17:17:51 GMT -5
Severus sighed. He really hadn't thought that this was going to be a conversation he would be having just yet. He ran his fingers through his greasy black hair, trying to think of the best way to put what he wanted to say. He took a deep breath and looked Narcissa in the eyes, something he rarely did.
"I've chosen my side. I chose it the day I became a Slytherin and realized that you were all right. Mudbloods don't deserve the satisfaction. I had a childish infatuation with her, but I'm beginning to realize that that's not going to happen, so it's pointless to try. I'm thinking that I'm just going to find a nice Slytherin girl to go out with."
He looked at her, dead serious. He had given it serious thought for the last few weeks of his sixth year and most of the summer. He just had one problem, he didn't know any Slytherin girls besides Narcissa that he even had remotely friendly feelings toward. Most of them avoided him.
"So, now the question is: do you have any friends who would want to go out with a half blood? Even if I am a hundred percent Slytherin?"
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Post by Narcissa Black on Feb 1, 2009 0:55:22 GMT -5
Smirking triumphantly, Narcissa exhaled and returned to her firewhiskey, relieved that she didn't have to fight for Severus' alliegance. He had the potential to be a dangerous threat, just like every other Slytherin she had ever met, and it would have been a shame to have to shun him.
"There are plenty of girls that I can scrounge up, Severus. Yes, your blood status leaves a lot to be desired...but as you said, you're a pure Slytherin. I'm sure there are plenty of girls in our house who are more than willing to lower their standards. Pernella Pierce, for instance."
Narcissa couldn't repress a grimace as she said the sixth year's name, and she gulped a mouthful of burning firewhiskey.
"Nevermind that, actually. Pierce is a bitch. Have you met Shilo? She's in your year. Shilo's not exactly known for being picky...I could introduce you, if you like."
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Post by Severus Snape on Feb 4, 2009 19:32:44 GMT -5
Snape frowned at Narcissa. Pierce? He knew the girl and found her to be an incessant pain. He almost said so, then she mentioned someone that he had never met. Shilo? He had never even heard of the girl, but then again, he had never really talked with any of the people that Lucius didn't introduce him too. He shook his head slightly, looking at her for a few moments.
"I don't believe a know a Shilo. What's she liked? And what do you mean by she's 'not known for being picky'? Is that code for she'll do anyone, anywhere?" He seemed to think about it before shrugging. "I don't find anything wrong with that."
In all honesty, he was willing to try it. As a matter of fact, he was more than willing to date a girl with loose morals at this juncture in his life. His asshole of a father had told him that he would gain some courage if he got a little arse. He didn't believe it, but he was willing to try anything that might make him stand up to James and Sirius. Anything.
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Post by Narcissa Black on Feb 4, 2009 19:45:02 GMT -5
"Not very picky means that you fit the bill, Severus. And in your case, that's quite a catch."
Narcissa was being loose-tongued with her catty remarks, but she didn't bother to repress them. Snape could handle it, and if he couldn't, she would have no sympathy for him.
"Shilo looks decent...most of the time. She's a brunette. You'll like her. I mean, she's nothing like Evans, but that's just an added bonus for you, isn't it?"
Finishing off the rest of her firewhiskey, Narcissa blinked and felt a fuzzy sensation spread throughout her brain, stifling all emotions and reservations. She looked at Severus and smirked, blue eyes red with drunken desire, and she leaned forward.
"She's a pureblood, Sev. Pure. And Italian, too. Doesn't that sound fun? I think so."
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Post by Severus Snape on Feb 4, 2009 21:33:05 GMT -5
Severus looked at Narcissa as she leaned toward him. Was she saying that SHE would go with this Shilo girl? It was a little weird to think that Narcissa would want to throw her pennies in with a girl when she could have any guy she wanted. She had Lucius already. Why in the world ... He let the thought slide before leaning into her, lowering his voice.
"What are you saying, Narcissa? Would YOU be interested in Shilo? If so, have you talked to her about it? Maybe, just maybe she might be so unpicky that she would even be willing to have a little fun with you. Who knows, maybe she thinks that you sound fun."
He was teasing her, he knew that, but in a way, it was the most fun he had had in a while. Plus the thought of Narcissa with some brunette beauty made him a little happier than he should have been. At the same time, Narcissa was a beauty all on her own. Thinking of her with ANY girl would have thrilled any hotblooded teenage boy.
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Post by Narcissa Black on Feb 8, 2009 11:31:01 GMT -5
Narcissa rolled her eyes, crinkling her nose as she laughed.
"Shilo? Please, Severus. I'm not that drunk. Maybe after a few more rounds, though..."
Oblivious to Severus' teenage-boy reaction, she signaled to the bar tender to bring them by another two glasses of firewhiskey, and she leaned her face into her hands, blonde hair falling beautifully forward like sugar-lace.
"Oh, Severus. I do enjoy our little talks, you know. We always wind up discussing interesting things...have you ever had a girlfriend before, by the way? I haven't," she added redundantly. "But Regulus has...he always has a girlfriend or two." Narcissa's lips tighteneed as she said this, and an adorable pout made her brow crinkle. "I hate his girlfriends. They're always so trashy..."
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